Perth Rottnest Island spotted quokkas in Western Australia
On Rottnest island, you can buy a hop-on hop-off bus ticket. Buses run about every 15 minutes, and you’ll get a wristband so you can get on and off freely at different stops.
Most people usually go to:
Stops 5–7: jelly-like turquoise ocean, great for sea photos
Stop 8: white lighthouse
Stop 11: seals
Stop 17: pink lake
Stop 19: restaurant, souvenirs, and a supermarket
Where to See Quokkas on Rottnest Island
You can find quokkas at Stop 1 and Stop 19. Staff said there are more at Stop 1, but you can still see some at Stop 19. We saw them at both. At Stop 19, they seemed more interested in bread crumbs than leaves. At Stop 1, if you give them a small leaf, they’ll climb onto your hand and enjoy it. We even had a quokka come up for a cuddle, it approached first.
Quokkas are incredibly cute. As long as you show any sign of having food, they’ll come up to you. You’re not allowed to feed them, but you can tease them a little with leaves.
Around 2–3pm, you can find lots of quokkas near the restaurant at Stop 19 and along the coastal path near Stop 1. They are not in one place but spread along the way. After going around the island, you can get off at Stop 19, there is also a souvenir shop and supermarket nearby.
Second time visiting Rottnest Island, sharing the guide here.
Quokkas are actually a type of small kangaroo. Their English name is quokka. Some people say they are the happiest animal in the world because they really look like they are smiling.
They only live on a few islands off Western Australia and are already a vulnerable species. Rottnest Island is their main habitat.
There are two ferry companies, Rottnest Express and SeaLink. Tickets can be purchased on the official website. You can choose to depart from Perth city or Fremantle. From Fremantle, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the island.
Cars are not allowed on the island. You can choose to rent a bicycle or take the island bus. The island conditions are very suitable for cycling.
You can choose regular bicycles or electric bicycles, and there are also two-wheel scooters. Electric bicycles are relatively more expensive.
You can also bring your own bicycle onto the island. A fee will be charged when boarding. Bicycle rental can be selected together when purchasing ferry tickets, or you can rent directly on the island. The bicycle shop on the island closes at 4:30pm.
If you choose cycling, there are many uphill and downhill sections, electric bicycles will save more effort. Some guides say electric bicycles need to be booked early, but this time we arrived at 10:00 and there were still many available.
You don’t need to go far, there are many near the café by the jetty. There are fewer in the morning, more appear around 2–3pm. Do not feed them, they will find leaves to eat themselves.
Do not chase them. Pick some fresh leaves nearby, squat down and do not move, quokkas will come to you.
They are most active in the early morning and evening, and the lighting is also best.
Thomson Bay: the bay you see right after getting off the ferry, very beautiful
Cape Vlamingh: the westernmost point of the island, with a lookout and coastal walking path
Pinky Beach: white sand and clear ocean, very suitable for relaxing
Highly recommend Stop 11. You can see sea lions, seals and lizards, and the scenery is very beautiful, worth spending more time.
Do not try to walk from Stop 7 to Stop 8. We walked for more than one hour under the sun, there was almost no scenery.
Taking photos with smiling quokkas is very healing. Leave some time and wait patiently, you can have a perfect island trip.